


How It's Done

by nagi_schwarz



Series: The Oppenheimer Effect [39]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: AU, Crossover, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-06-07
Packaged: 2018-07-12 20:43:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7121872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_schwarz/pseuds/nagi_schwarz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the comment_fic prompt: "Any, Any, 'Follow my lead.'"</p><p>The men of Casa Atlantica have good news to break to their families. They show each other how it's done.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How It's Done

“So?” Evan asked.

Cam hung up the phone. Tyler couldn’t read the expression on his face.

And then Cam grinned. “We’re a go. Date’s all set.”

Tyler cheered and flung himself at Cam for a hug. JD and Evan crowded in to hug him too, and then John and Rodney joined in, and Oppie piled in on top of them all, and Tyler couldn’t stop smiling.

Tyler knew that juvenile court was faster than regular grown-up court, but it had felt like the paperwork to get him adopted had taken forever. He’d been in the house for more than six months, and he just wanted it done already. And now it was finally here.

“On Halloween, no less,” Cam said. “Can we dress up for court?”

Evan swatted him on the arm. “Of course not.”

“Maybe,” Tyler said. “I mean, the judge never dresses up, but sometimes the bailiffs do, and Cassandra always does.”

Evan got a speculative gleam in his eye.

“You know what this means,” John said.

“What?” Tyler asked, because he really didn’t.

“Karaoke!”

“First,” Evan said, catching John’s sleeve before he could run and grab his guitar, “we need to tell our families.”

“Right,” Rodney said. He fished his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed, put it in the middle of the kitchen table on speaker. “Follow my lead.”

It rang several times, and then a woman answered. “Hey, Mer, what’s up?” Rodney’s sister Jeannie called him by his real name.

Tyler didn’t care what Rodney said. Meredith was a girl’s name.

“Jeannie, are you sitting down?”

“Yes. Why? What did you do? Did you blow up another solar s-”

“Whoa, hey, on speaker,” Rodney said, ducking his head and blushing.

Rodney had blown something up? That was badass. Tyler leaned in, hoping to hear more.

Apparently Jeannie was wise to the ways of ‘classified’. “Oh. Is everything all right?”

“It’s happening. We’re adopting Tyler.” Rodney was grinning fiercely, and Tyler couldn’t help the warm feeling that filled him when Rodney said _we_. They were all his family.

“Who’s Tyler?”

Rodney’s expression dimmed.

John hissed, “You didn’t tell her?”

“The boy who’s been living with us,” Rodney said.

“What boy who’s been living with you?” Jeannie sounded genuinely puzzled.

“Didn’t I tell you? We’ve been fostering one of our students and now we - well, on paper just Cam - but we’re going to adopt him.”

“You told me no such thing.”

“He’s been living with us for over six months.”

“Meredith!” Jeannie cried. “For the last six months, all of your phone calls to me have been about - about that thing that’s classified.” Jeannie was both a stay-at-home mom and a super genius scientist like Rodney.

“Oh. I was sure I’d mentioned it.” Rodney shrugged. “Anyway, tell Madison she’s getting a new cousin.”

“Oh. Well. She’ll like that. Is he about her age?”

“He’s seventeen,” Rodney said. “The adoption is on Halloween. Wanted to get it done before he turned eighteen.”

“Halloween? That’s less than two months away! We’ll never make it down there on time, not with everything Madison has going on at school -” Jeannie sounded just like Rodney when she was fretting.

“Don’t worry,” John said, “we’ll come to you.”

“Hello, John. Yes, come visit as soon as you can. Madison, don’t touch that! Oh, I’d better go. Love you, Mer! And you too, John. Congratulations on your new son.”

And the call ended.

“Follow your lead?” John echoed, pushing Rodney’s phone aside. He laid his phone on the table and dialed someone named Kathy, according to the caller ID on the screen. John never talked much about his family, except Tyler knew his mom had died when he was a teenager. “This is how it’s done.” He put the phone on speaker as well.

JD, Cam, and Evan exchanged amused smirks.

“Hello, John.” Kathy sounded polite, if not friendly.

“Kathy,” John said, equally polite and unfriendly.

“What can I do for you?”

“Just calling with a bit of news.”

“You broke up with Meredith?”

“No,” John said, and Tyler felt bad for Rodney, who looked angry. “In fact, we’re adopting.”

“Oh. Well, congratulations.” Kathy didn’t sound at all enthusiastic. Tyler was offended. “Boy or girl? I can contact my friend at Baby B’Gosh and get something sent over immediately.”

“His name is Tyler, and he’s seventeen.”

“Seventeen?”

“Yes.” 

“Well. A more mature gift is in order. Congratulations. I wish you and Meredith and your...roommates...the best in your endeavors.” And Kathy hung up.

Rodney crossed his arms over his chest. “How was that any better than my announcement?”

“No muss, no fuss,” John said smugly. He patted Tyler on the arm. “They’ll probably send you lots of money, because that’s how Sheppards do things.”

“You never send me lots of money,” Cam said, and John lifted his chin.

“I’m not one of those Sheppards.”

Tyler wondered why John didn’t get along with what family he had, but he knew better than to ask.

“Step aside,” Evan said, “and see how the master does it.” He actually cracked his knuckles like he was about to get into a fistfight, then put his phone in the middle of the table on speaker and hit speed dial six (JD was one, Cam was two, Rodney was three, John was four, Tyler was five).

“Evan,” Mama Lorne said. “You’re early. Is everything all right?”

Evan called his mother every week. Rodney called his sister randomly, usually with science questions. Up until about a month ago, someone from Cam’s family called almost every other day, an aunt or cousin or nephew or grandparent. Cam hadn’t had a set schedule like Evan, but he’d been close with his family.

Been.

JD had no family at all.

“Everything’s just fine, Ma,” Evan said. “I have good news!”

“Are you finally getting married now that DADT is gone?” Mama Lorne asked.

“Ah, no, Ma.” Evan blushed and darted a look at Cam, and had he been thinking about marriage? He couldn’t marry both Cam and JD. “You know my one boyfriend, Cam?” 

“The one from Kansas?” That was how Mama Lorne knew all of them. John was From Virginia, Rodney was From Canada, and JD was From Minnesota.

“Yes.”

“He’s adopting Tyler.”

Mama Lorne let out a sound Tyler usually associated with dolphins. Then her voice went muffled as she hollered for Evan’s sister, niece and nephew. Gabby and Mikey were delighted at the prospect of a new cousin. Natalia insisted it wasn’t too late for a naming ritual, and Tyler would get to choose his soul name when the family next gathered.

Evan turned bright red at the mention of a naming ritual. JD, Cam, and John looked completely baffled by the notion; they’d never heard of it. Mama Lorne promised she’d rally as much of the family as possible to be there for the adoption - Mikey and Gabby might have to be pulled out of school - and then someone else needed Mama Lorne, and the phone call ended.

“That’s how it’s done,” Evan said, pocketing his cell phone.

JD drew out his cell phone and dialed.

“Who -?” Rodney asked, but then JD said,

“Hey, Sam. Yeah, it’s been a hot second. Yes, that’s what the kids are calling it these days. So, we’re adopting Tyler. Yep, the foster kid who’s been living with us since the end of last school year. Rodney told you? He didn’t tell Jeannie. Be sure to rub it in the next time you talk to her.”

Rodney made a wordless sound of outrage and tried to grab the phone, but JD danced out of reach, kept talking.

“It’d be great if you and Daniel could come. I know getting T out here for this kinda thing is rough - crazy commute and all. Costumes welcome, though. It’s on Halloween. Thanks!”

And JD hung up. When the others stared at him, he shrugged and smiled innocently. Tyler really needed to learn how to do that smile. He’d be able to get away with anything.

When Cam reached into his pocket for his cell phone, JD and Evan immediately looked apprehensive. Cam had sent Tyler out for when his parents came to visit. Tyler knew Cam had planned on coming out to his parents, not just about himself but about his relationship with JD and Evan, and he hadn’t wanted Tyler around in case it went badly.

Which it obviously had.

But Cam did like the others, dialed up his phone and laid it in the center of the table on speaker.

It rang and rang and rang. Tyler would have given up five rings in. After ten rings, the machine picked up.

“You’ve reached Frank and Wendy Mitchell. Leave a message.” Cam’s mom sounded like a nice woman.

Cam cleared his throat. “Mom, Dad, it’s me, Cam. Just thought I’d let you know - Tyler’s adoption has been scheduled. Halloween. Ten AM. El Paso County Courthouse. Courtroom two. It’d be great if you could make it.”

And he hung up.


End file.
